When the rules change overnight, the first instinct is often panic. But New Yorkers know better! We’ve seen the city reinvent itself too many times to believe anything is ever final.
Remember when Uber arrived in the early 2010s? At first, it felt like a rupture. Yellow cab medallions, once valued at over $1 million, dropped dramatically. Drivers protested. Newspapers declared the end of the taxi era.
And yet, today you still see yellow cabs threading through traffic, still pulling up on curbs. They didn’t disappear. They adjusted. Some joined the apps. Others leaned into high-traffic areas and loyal riders. What seemed like a death sentence turned into a slow, quiet evolution.
That’s New York. It doesn’t collapse. It recalibrates.
The FARE Act feels like one of those moments. A gut-punch for some. A policy curveball for others. But look closer, and it’s something else entirely: a shift in how value is framed, and an opportunity to redefine your role inside of it.
Reframing the Broker’s Role
If you work in real estate, this isn’t the end of your relevance. It’s the beginning of a new chapter, where your talent, taste, and trust become your main character energy.
This legislation doesn’t take away your value. It forces everyone to look at it differently. And maybe… that’s overdue
You are no longer selling just square footage. You’re offering:
- Clarity in chaos.
- Curation in an endless scroll.
- Confidence in a high-stakes decision
The agent who survives this shift won’t just point to inventory. They’ll offer insight, access, taste, and timing. They’ll lead with discernment. They’ll be able to say: “I know what’s happening—and here’s how we navigate it together.”
The Soft Pivot: What To Do Next
This isn’t the time to rebrand out of fear. It’s the time to refine out of strength.
Here’s what that looks like:
- Acknowledge the shift… gracefully.
Your clients are reading the headlines too. Speak calmly, clearly, and with context. Don’t sell panic. Sell perspective. - Reposition your value.
If fees are shifting, shift what’s being emphasized: exclusive access, negotiation skills, deep market intel. Make invisible value visible. - Pilot new ways to serve.
This is the moment for creative offers, flexible structures, smart partnerships. Start small, but move forward. - Own your presence.
Show up with confidence, not defensiveness. People follow clarity. They remember poise. - Zoom out.
This isn’t just about broker fees. It’s about the bigger story: how professionals in any space respond to change, with composure, craft, and curiosity.
What’s true today will still be true tomorrow: People will always pay for trust. For expertise. For taste. For the time saved.
Let this be your moment to remind them, gently, decisively, why you are still worth every penny.
New York has changed before. And you’re still here.
With steadiness and style,
– Molly B.
Founder & CEO, Molly B. Townsend Coaching & Consulting
[email protected]
